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Meat export spells disaster for Uganda

Feed starving children not rich, greedy meat-eaters

The Norwegian government will help Uganda to develop its meat export industry by assisting them to construct two meat processing plants. As Uganda struggles to combat climate change and overcome poverty; a meat export market can only spell further disaster.

Ugandan livestock farmers, concentrated along ‘the cattle corridor’ which runs southwest to northeast across Uganda, are already in conflict due to water scarcity and this will be exacerbated by increased demand and climate change. Oxfam’s recent report ‘Climate Change and Poverty in Uganda’ reveals that:-

“People in Uganda, whose contribution to global warming has been minuscule, are feeling the impacts of climate change first and worst. On the one hand there is more erratic rainfall in the March to June rainy season, bringing drought and reductions in crop yields and plant varieties; on the other hand, the rainfall, especially in the later rains towards the end of the year, is reported as coming in downpours that are more intense and destructive, bringing floods, landslides, and soil erosion”.

Livestock farmers are already being forced to move their animals great distances to find pasture and water, increasing the conflict between them as they encroach on to each others territories.

Renowned British environmentalist Norman Myers coined the phrase ‘the hamburger connection’ in the 1980s to describe how the rapid growth in beef exports in Central America to fast food chains is the US was driving deforestation. Since then we have seen massive destruction of the Amazon for cattle ranching and now the largest meat producer in the world, Tyson, has ambitious plans to enter countries such as Brazil, China and India to introduce and profit from the industrialistion of meat production in those countries.

There is no question that Uganda needs to overcome poverty, but developing a meat export market is not the answer. We have already seen the result of meat exportation in Brazil and other developing countries which has only resulted in further environmental destruction, conflict, poverty and hunger. Forty per cent of children’s deaths in Uganda are caused by malnutrition; they need the resources to feed their own people, not to fulfil the desire for meat in rich nations. If Norway really wanted to make a difference to people in Uganda, and didn’t actually have an alterior motive, that’s what they’d help them to do.

Climate change and food security; the impacts of livestock

The International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture have just released their ‘Manifesto on Climate Change and the Future of Food Security‘.

In the report, the impacts of growing animal feeds on the environment are explained:-

“Export-oriented countries such as Argentina and Brazil export millions of tons of GM soybean cultivated under monocultures to Europe to feed intensively reared and highly subsidized animals. This contributes to soil erosion and social desertification of the countryside and allows the maintenance of a highly unhealthy and energy-inefficient meat-based diet”.

The report also covers the combined impact of animal feeds and agrofuels on the Amazon:-

“In Brazil, vast swathes of the Amazon forest have already been cleared for soybean cultivation for cattlefeed. Encouraging soybean biodiesel would bring further devastation to the Amazon… Also, as farmers in the U.S. have switched from planting soy to planting corn, Brazil is trying to make up this difference in soy production and it is doing this by clearing more of the Amazon”.

And livestock’s impact on climate change:-

“Industrial agriculture contributes directly to climate change through emissions of the major greenhouse gases – Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)… Methane and nitrous oxide are particularly powerful contributors to climate change as the global warming potential of methane is 21 times, and of nitrous oxide 310 times, that of CO2. Since 1970 the emission of these greenhouse gases has increased by 40 percent and 50 percent respectively… In particular ruminants produce methane via enteric fermentation which increases when cattle are fed intensive feed. At 32 percent this is the second largest source of emissions [from agriculture]“.

The report goes on to explain how diets are changing and what this means for our health:-

“The nutritional transition based on meat, dairy and fats increase the incidence of food related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and strokes. As the South adopts more western-style diets, such diseases are on the rise”.

This report, and the many others which have highlighted the impact of the modern meat and dairy industry – from deforestation, climate change, food security and health – makes it abundantly clear that our chances of creating a healthy and sustainable future are minimal so long as this industry continues.

Contributors to the report included many pro-vegetarian experts such as world-renowned scientist and environmentalist Dr. Vandana Shiva; Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet; Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, Institute of Health Science and government advisor and Caroline Lucas of the Green Party.

Saturated fat is good for you!

Barry Groves, who has a doctorate in nutritional science, has claimed that we should all be eating more saturated fat.

Groves, 72, has consumed a diet high in animal fats for the last 40 years and has now published a book in an attempt to encourage others to do the same. Barry’s diet is very similar to the well-known Atkins diet; the dangers of which have been well publicised. He has a cholesterol level of over twice the level of that recommended by the British Heart Foundation.

One of Groves ridiculous claims is that “We’re a carnivorous species – our gut is identical to that of a big cat”. What planet is he living on? A big cat’s gut is about 4 times their body length whereas humans’ are ten times body length! In what way does that sound similar? The carnivore small intestine is short (3-6 times body length) compared to the herbivore at 10-12 times the body length. This is for two reasons; firstly, meat putrifies in the gut – short intestines ensure it passes through before it does so, secondly meat can be converted to protein in the gut far more quickly than plants and therefore herbivores need longer guts.

It’s no surprise to find that Groves is an honorary board member of the Weston A Price Foundation. From their website, ‘the main sources of support for the Weston A. Price Foundation are the dues and contributions of its members… Although many of our members are farmers, the Foundation has no ties with the meat or dairy industry, nor with any organization promoting these industries’. So, the foundation, who’s funding is predominantly from farmers, has no link to the meat and dairy industry? What nonsense!

The Weston A Price Foundation goes to great lengths to tell us how bad vegetarianism is for us; completely conflicting medical studies which tell us how meat and dairy increase our risk of heart disease and cancer and how we should all eat more fruit, vegetables and whole grains. In fact, the foundation claims that fruit and vegetables should be limited in children’s diets. They also adamantly claim that saturated fats and high cholesterol is good for you! They also attack any scientists who promote the opposite (ie the truth), such as Dr T Colin Campbell, author of the China Study, who is regularly hounded at his lectures by representatives of the foundation. Clearly, this is simply an organisation to promote the consumption of animal products, at whatever cost.

The advice of the Weston A Price Foundation is often dangerous and misleading. For example, they advise “If you cannot get your family to eat organ meats when served as such, there are plenty of ways to add them to their food without their knowledge… Poached brains can be chopped up and added to any ground meat dish, as can grated raw liver“. I guess they should have added a note to let people know that this advice only applies to those who wish to reduce the size of their family by introducing CJD (the human form of BSE/ Mad Cow Disease).

Whilst looking at the list of board members I also spotted, with great disappointment, Zac Goldmith, editor of the Ecologist magazine. That would explain their recent feature which attempts to dispute the environmental damage caused by livestock. Goldsmith rears cows, pigs, sheep and chickens on his farm in Devon. No vested interest in promoting meat and dairy then.

Meat and dairy link to prostate cancer

Another new study, from the Oxford University, has shown that high consumption of meat and dairy increases the chances of men developing prostate cancer. The scientists believe that high levels of a hormone, Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), which speeds up cell division and thus is necessary for children to grow also for promotes the growth of cancerous tumours.

The scientists compared the results of 12 studies, involving almost 9,000 men, and concluded that higher levels of IGF-1 results in a 40% higher incidence of prostate cancer. Previous studies have shown that levels of the hormone are higher in men who eat a lot of meat and dairy, while strict vegetarians have low levels.

This is nothing new. IGF-1 is well-known for it’s link to cancer, and not just prostate cancer, but all forms of the disease.

Now here’s the crazy part. Rather than educating people about this and recommending they cut down on meat and dairy, the scientists are now going to spend more time and money on finding ways to block the effects of the hormone. Where is the sense in that? Or perhaps we have been getting it all wrong all this time. Perhaps instead of encouraging people to stop smoking we should just find a way to stop tobacco from giving people lung cancer? Or instead of trying to stop people drinking excessively we should just find a way of stopping alcohol from getting people drunk and rotting their livers?

Meat industry; “shit happens”

A BBC Wales investigation was aired last night which revealed the shocking hygiene standards of three meat processing plants in Wales.  These plants are suppliers of Marks & Spencer, Somerfield and Sainsbury’s.

In the programme, the BBC’s journalist witnessed several examples of meat being stamped as ‘suitable for human consumption’ despite being contaminated with faeces. The pressure of workers to meet production targets is one of the main causes. A worker described how workers’ “hands are full of faeces. You try to wash it off, then they make you go quicker. Contamination starts from there”.

In one example, a worker spotted a health-stamped carcas with faecal contaminatation and explained that “it happens” and that the plant was too big and contamination is often missed. The programme even showed vacuum packed meat with contamination.

A Meat Hygiene Service inspector described how inspectors are hated by workers and owners of meat processing plants. Others revealed how inspectors are often bullied by owners and thus often turn a blind eye to bad practices in an attempt to keep things moving.

Although the BBC investigated only three plants, a survey released this week from trade union, Unison, showed that these issues are nationwide. David Bezzina of Unison said “there is an admission of a systems failure in the meat hygiene service as a whole” and added that consumers should be “very concerned”.

The investigation has resulted in Somerfield suspending their contract with one of the plants, Cig Calon Cymru, pending their own investigations.

What deadly bacteria is lurking in your steak?

It was disturbing to see the apathy of the plant workers. An inspector said he felt that the number of people who don’t do their work properly is ‘unthinkable’ and that workers are bored and don’t care. The attitude of “it happens” is hardly appropriate considering the potentially fatal E Coli 0157 bacteria that around 2,000 people each year are infected with. This bacteria, found in around 10% of animals’ intestines, produces toxins which can damage internal organs such as the heart and brain.

Let’s not forget the largest ever outbreak of E. coli O157 in Wales (and the second largest in the UK) in 2005 which affected more than 150 people, most of whom were children.  Thirty one people were admitted to hospital and five year old Mason Jones died.

However, this tragedy seems far from the minds of the meat industry as they struggle to keep going against rising costs, lower profits and the new targets for greenhouse gas reductions which will undoubedly affect livestock production.  Time to call it a day?

If you’re in the UK, you can watch the BBC programme Week in Week Out online until 30 October.

Human rights abuses in meat processing industry

Would you do this for a living?

Have you ever wondered who has the grisly job of processing and packing the meat you buy at the supermarket? More to the point, what conditions do they work in?

Yesterday seven Polish workers who packed pork for Asda were awared £10,000 compensation because of their working conditions. Ten workers lived in each house and most had no beds and slept on mattreses on the floor. For this accomodation, they paid £56 per week. Another £10 was deducted to clean carpets which didn’t exist and to cut a lawn which was never actually cut. They also had to pay £4 per day to travel to work in overcrowded minibuses. Their hourly rate was only £4.85.

This is not an isolated example.  In 2007 Marks and Spencer were exposed for exploiting Polish workers who worked at a supplier’s meat factory. A study by the union, Unite, revealed that Polish staff at the factory were employed on a “zero hours” contract with no guaranteed number of hours, and suffered “harsh and divisive” conditions.

In fact, the exploitation of migrant workers in the meat processing sector has resulted in the Equality and Human Rights Commission launching a formal inquiry this week. The inquiry will investigate the employment and recruitment practices in the industry, which is well known for its low pay and reliance on migrant workers.

The meat industry; from destroying forests to feed the animals, to the greenhouse gases produced, to the slaughter of the animals, to the exploitation of those who ‘process’ the carcasses, right through to the heart disease and cancer caused by the consumption of it; is an inherently sick, cruel and destructive industry. Don’t be a part of it. Stop eating meat.

Got Milk? Got any sense??

How much did this ad cost?

Heidi Klum is the latest celebrity to be lured in to starring in the National Dairy Board campaign Got Milk?

It really is shocking how many celebrities are willing to put their names and faces to this campaign. What is more distubring is the amount of money put in to promoting milk in the US.  Since 1983 the National Dairy Board and the National Fluid Milk Board have spent over $1.1 billion dollars on advertising. Despite this massive spending, consumption of milk has fallen continuously since 1978. (More)

Isn’t it about time that the milk industry admitted defeat and stopped wasting all this money on advertising? How about spending it on initatives to combat the global warming caused by the dairy industry due to methane and nitrous oxide emissions? How about not producing dairy anymore and instead putting the vast resources of land, water, energy and grain towards feeding the world’s hungry and helping them overcome poverty?

Here in the UK, it’s not looking good for the dairy industry either. Mansel Raymond, Pembrokeshire dairy farmer who chairs NFU Cymru’s Milk Board and is a director of the farmers’ cooperative First Milk, said this week that the number of dairy farmers in Wales has dropped from 4,270 in 1998 to its present level of 2,143 because of rising costs and low returns.

In light of the new UK government targets to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, I cannot see that the meat or dairy industries can continue as they are.  These industries have been damaging our planet for decades and now it is time to put that right.

Methane levels rising faster than CO2

New research has shown that the methane emissions have been rising at a much faster rate than carbon dioxide -  over the lasy 250 years, CO2 has increased by 31% but methane has increased by a staggering 149%. As methane lasts longer in the atmosphere it also has a higher global warming potential and has already caused a fifth of the global warming experienced since 1750.

The university of Portsmouth found that a herd of 200 cows produce annual emissions of methane equivalent to driving a family car more than 100,000 miles (180,000km) on more than four gallons (21,400 litres) of petrol.

The main source of methane? Animals.

It’s no wonder the National Farmers’ Union is getting a little nervous, they have already stated that the new targets for 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions will make it neccessary for massive reductions in meat production. This new research is not going to do them any favours.

Go vegan for World Food Day

Professor Tim Lang, advisor to the Government on issues such as food security and obesity, marked the UN’s World Food Day with a speech urging people to cut down on meat and dairy.

He said “the world could be eating its way to starvation”, by eating foods which are unsustainable and inefficient because of the amount of resources they require to produce them. In particular, meat and dairy require more resources than any other foods.

He added, “We must transform ourselves from being passive consumers to active consumers. We need to lobby government for change, eat less meat and fewer dairy products, and garden more“.

There are many recommendations for how we can reduce our carbon footprint, and changing our diets is by far one of the easiest. You can do it right now and it involves no extra cost, in fact it is cheaper. Costs associated with solar panels, hybrid cars, insulating your home, replacing electronic goods with energy efficient ones, buying a bicycle etc do not come in to it. All it involves is walking down a different aisle in the supermarket.

And what’s more, if you can start by cutting down and then move to a completely meat-and-dairy-free diet, you can massively reduce your carbon footprint.  The impact is real, and far more significant than the small fixes, such as turning lights off, car pooling orturning the thermostat down. A vegetarian diet is responsible for 50% less greenhouse gas emissions than a meat-based diet, and a vegan diet is responsible for 87% less! (read more). Why not give it a go?